Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The growth of managed care over the past several years has changed fundamental aspects of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. This significant shift transformed how the Government pays for and covers health care for approximately 100 million enrollees. Due to the growth of managed care (in…… Continue reading OIG Publishes New Featured Topic Webpage on Managed Care

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare During a pandemic or other emergency, health care facilities face significant challenges to quickly onboard additional health care providers when hospital admissions and intensive care units’ occupancy rapidly increase. The recently updated Health Care Facility Onboarding Checklist (1 page) can help facilities ensure new employees are…… Continue reading Updates from ASPR TRACIE – Emergency Preparedness Resources

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Emergencies can create a variety of hazards for workers in the impacted area. Preparing before an emergency incident plays a vital role in ensuring that employers and workers have the necessary equipment, know where to go, and know how to keep themselves safe when an emergency…… Continue reading Know How to Prepare For and Respond to Natural Disasters

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of routine vaccination for people of all ages. As of January 1, 2023, your Medicare Part D drug plan now covers most vaccines at no cost to you. All adult vaccines…… Continue reading Immunization and Vaccine Resources

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare For many in the U.S., this week is going to be a hot one!  Many areas have already had extreme heat warnings and advisories.  OSHA’s Workplace Safety Reminder for today addresses heat illness. Heat-related illnesses can be prevented. Hydrate before, during and after work. Drink 1…… Continue reading Prevent Heat Illness at Work

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CDC has created a new, web-on-demand, self-paced module for healthcare providers who will be administering COVID-19 vaccines. The Immunization Course update on COVID-19 Vaccine Training: What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know is now live. This module provides healthcare providers with comprehensive information for all currently approved…… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccine Training: What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know is Now Live

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Here’s a resource that’s always relevant to all health care settings:Implementation Guide for AHRQ’s Making Informed Consent an Informed Choice – Training Modules. This 57-page guide is rich with information to help you and your team promote/improve informed consent. This guide is a companion to the…… Continue reading Making Informed Consent an Informed Choice (AHRQ Resource)

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CDC has updated the Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) Tool for General Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Across Settings to include Module 11 – Water Exposure.  It appears that this Module was added June 27, 2023. ICAR tools are used to systematically assess a healthcare…… Continue reading Updated: Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) Tool for General Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Across Settings

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the iQIES User Roles Matrix Job Aid … version 3.5 with the date of August 11, 2023 (the date of posting/notification is Wednesday, August 16, 2023). iQAN is referenced on the last two pages of this 22-page job aid. iQAN is a content…… Continue reading CMS Posts Updated iQIES User Roles Matrix and New Resources

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS revised the State Performance Standards (SPSS) Guidance via Admin Info: 23-12-ALL dated August 11, 2023. Every year, CMS conducts a formal assessment of each State Survey Agencies’ performance relative to measures included in the SPSS program. CMS works with the State Survey Agencies to strengthen…… Continue reading CMS Revises Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 State Performance Standards System (SPSS) Guidance